Attendance grows for ESF-OC3 downtown Oneida workshop

Participants at the second ESF-OC3 workshop discuss possibilities for some of the vacant buildings inside the City of Oneida’s proposed historical district on Saturday, March 25.
John Brewer - Oneida Daily Dispatch

Oneida, N.Y. >> Attendance nearly doubled for the second focus group hosted by SUNY ESF and Oneida City Center Committee as part of a project to develop a vision of progress for the city downtown.

Held at the Kallet Civic Center, the second focus group saw 40-plus city residents spend their Saturday morning tackling a variety of topics concerning the use and aesthetics of the city downtown.

Like the previous public meeting with the ESF students, participants were split up into smaller groups to tackle ideas concerning a particular issue identified in the city downtown. Before breaking off into smaller teams however, the ESF students recapped the data they gathered at the first meeting.

From the participants polled in the first meeting, it was revealed that food was the main draw to the city downtown for leisure of fun activities. Social visits, recreational activities and Kallet Civic Center also rated well for fun reasons to visit the downtown, but seven of the surveyed attendees at the last meeting indicated there is nothing fun to do downtown or left the survey question blank.

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Additionally, when polled for where they visit most often, respondents rated civic locations such as City Hall, the bank, and the Chamber of Commerce as the most frequently visited locations.

ESF students also used the data gathered from the first meeting to create an aerial view of the downtown with color-coded lines highlighting the strengths, weaknesses and areas for opportunity in the downtown. Furthermore, the scholars shared a vision and identifiable goals for Oneida’s downtown district.

Vision:

“Oneida City Center showcases its unique identity through the preservation and reuse of its historic buildings and by highlighting locally based business and culture. The diverse mix of restaurants, shops, offices, and apartments energize the pedestrian oriented downtown. Residents and visitors experience a comfortable, active environment that puts people first. Cultural events and cooperation foster a sense of community and inclusivity. It is a place made, grown, and owned by its residents.”

Goals:

•Respect historic buildings and sensitively adapt them for contemporary use.

•Strengthen communication and collaboration among the organizations and individuals that are committed to positive change.

•Create a welcoming environment that encourages people to spend time in City Center.

•Encourage diverse building uses, business development and activities that attract Oneida residents and visitors.

Following the presentation of their findings from the previous February focus group, ESF students led discussions with city residents concerning the topics of vacant buildings and properties in the Oneida City Center, the utilization of open space, and streets and sidewalks. For the better part of two hours, attendees shared ideas for topics such as increasing the foot traffic in the city center, possibilities for the Hotel Oneida and other prominent eyesores, and aesthetic improvement.

Following the workshop, former City of Oneida councilor Brahim Zogby was pleased with the turnout he witnessed, but did encourage the younger generations to participate in the ESF project.

“I’m happy that the organizations and individual representatives came,” he said. “I wish residents with young children were.”

The ESF students will take the feedback they receive and from their own investigations and walkthrough of the city downtown to develop a final presentation showing their ideas for revitalizing the city heart. Students will also produce written and illustrative documentation of the entire process and provide OC3 with digital copies of those files.

ESF instructor Maren King told the gathered participants that there may also be a workshop where residents can see the design and production skills of the ESF students in action, but a date had not been solidified as of Saturday.